STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2320

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2262

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2262 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PAIN PATIENTS BILL OF RIGHTS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify that the medical use of marijuana is considered to be consistent with the Pain Patient's Bill of Rights, chapter 327H, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Big Island Chapter of Americans for Safe Access, Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, and ninety-three individuals.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was received from five individuals.

     Your Committees find that numerous scientific studies and anecdotal testimonies from chronic pain patients indicate that

medical cannabis is a powerful pain medicine without the dangerous side effects of addictive drugs, such as Vicodin and Oxycontin.  Another benefit is that medical cannabis allows patients to reduce the amount of prescriptive drugs they need to take to manage pain.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to ensure further discussion.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2262, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2262, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs and Health,

____________________________ JOSH GREEN, M.D., Chair

____________________________ WILL ESPERO, Chair